An Azure and Crimson Holiday
by ButterflyMeadow
Summary: A collection of one-shots and drabbles based on 25 holiday-themed prompts from the Holiday OTP Challenge on Tumblr. Rated T for yaoi and language overall, though the ratings of specific chapters may vary. Mostly Gakuen BASARA verse. Pairing is DateSana (Date Masamune x Sanada Yukimura).
1. Prompt 1: Decorations

**A/N: More DateSana? Yup - literally all I write now is SenBASA, specifically for DateSana, because they're my beloved OTP, and probably will be for a long time~**

**Well, this fic is going to be a compilation of 25 drabbles and short one-shots of varying holiday-themed prompts (I got them from Tumblr - message me if you'd like the link :). Obviously it'll take a while to finish, but I'll see it through to the end, even if it kills me! :P I hope you guys enjoy~ I suppose this fic is my present to DateSana fans!**

**Disclaimer: Obviously none of these characters are mine.**

**An Azure and Crimson Holiday**

**Prompt 1: Getting Out/Putting Up Decorations**

**By Meerca aka ButterflyMeadow**

Masamune sat himself down on the futon, watching with veiled annoyance as Yukimura brought down yet another cardboard box. "_This is boring . . ._" he muttered, chin in hand. "Why'd I even bother?"

"Did you say something, Date-dono?" Yukimura looked into the box, smile bright and expectant, but it sank into a frown upon seeing numerous sheets of stationery paper inside. "I was certain this was the right one …"

Masamune huffed. "I canceled my plans with the guys for this_ shit?_" When Yukimura's frown turned on him, he glared back. "You made it sound like some _crazy-ass party_ on the phone, so I wanted to check it out!" The one-eyed boy crossed his arms. "How the hell was I supposed to know you were just doing some stupid interior decorating for your old man?"

Yukimura bristled. "It is not stupid, nor is it just 'interior decorating', Date-dono! It is an annual holiday tradition in the honored Takeda household!" The ponytailed boy's brown eyes shone with determination. "Sasuke and Oyakata-sama have done the noble deed of decorating these past years, but now, finally, my time has come! I shan't fail!"

The one-eyed boy blinked as a rejuvenated Yukimura reached up, trembling on tip-toes as he tried nudging another box over the edge of the shelf. Masamune could see him struggling with the task, and he sighed before standing up to get it himself. "Yukimura, move. I got it."

"There is no need for that, I can—"

"No, you can't, just get outta the way before—_SHIT!_"

"Waaaugh!"

Masamune felt himself falling, and from there, everything was a painful blur. Something heavy struck his back before wiry entails tangled around him, jolting him forward—and pushing his lips against something too warm and smooth to be carpet.

The dragon jerked back from the kiss, the wide chocolate brown eyes beneath him mirroring his own blue-grey one. An awkward silence hung between the two until Masamune grabbed the green wires of what he could now see were Christmas lights and grinned. "Hey, we found 'em, _you see?_"

"G-g-get off!" Yukimura forcefully shoved the older boy before rolling to his side. Masamune growled as he stumbled, fist poised to fly, when he saw how red the young tiger cub's face had gotten, despite his attempts to hide it. It was almost … cute?

"What are you staring at, Date-dono?" Yukimura pouted, tossing a look behind him.

"_Nothing._" The one-eyed boy got to his feet and stretched out a hand, which the younger one glanced at warily. "_Come on._ We've got some decorating to do_."_

Just like that, Yukimura's eyes lit up. "Really? You will assist me?" As soon as the older boy nodded, the tiger cub accepted his hand, seemingly having forgotten his embarrassment. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Date-dono!"

Yup, definitely cute. Masamune felt his own lips quirk upwards as he and Yukimura walked towards the main hallway, hand-in-hand. Maybe this hadn't been such a bad idea after all.


	2. Prompt 2: Christmas Cards

**Disclaimer: SenBASA isn't mine.**

**An Azure and Crimson Holiday**

**Prompt 2: Making Christmas Cards**

"_Here's your receipt and here's your change._" The burly cashier methodically counted out a sum of coins before handing them to Yukimura on top of a slip of paper. "_Thank you and happy holidays, young man._"

"_Thank you!_" Yukimura accepted the change and bowed quickly. "_Happy holiday to you also, sir!_"

The cashier smiled and nodded before calling the next customer over. Yukimura stepped off to the side and began to observe the ambling families, smiling as a couple of kids darted past him excitedly, arms full of little toy cars.

"_You ready?_"

A hand settled atop the tiger cub's head, and he turned around, nodding firmly. "Hai, I have already paid."

"_All right._ Let's go." Masamune took the younger one's hand and led him outside, where the pair began following the sidewalk. An affectionate grin spread across his face as he looked at Yukimura out of the corner of his eye. "Your English gets better every time I hear it! _Keep up_ the good work."

The headband-wearing man beamed. "Arigatou—I mean, _thank you,_ Masamune-dono! Your tutoring has helped much, especially with pronunciation."

"It's a start. But you've still got a long way to go, little tiger." The one-eyed man reached over with his free arm to tousle his companion's hair. He'd been helping Yukimura with his English for the entire year, though most of it wasn't in person. While Masamune had been accepted to a college in America, Yukimura had chosen to stay in Japan for his schooling. The two spoke often on the phone or through webcams, which made the separation somewhat bearable, but now, for winter vacation, Yukimura had come to visit him in New York. The past two days had consisted of sightseeing and not much else, but the pair was content: at least they were together again.

The thought made Masamune give the young cub's hand a gentle squeeze. "Hey, Yukimura, you hungry? There's a cafe around the corner that sells really good donuts, those sweets I told you about."

Yukimura's brown eyes went wide with excitement. "I would love to try them! But do we have time, Masamune-dono? We must write and mail these cards before the post office closes, remember?"

Masamune waved a hand dismissively. "Nah, we're fine—we've still got a couple of hours. The cafe's right next to the post office, anyway. And we're only sending . . . what, four cards?" He began counting names off his fingers. "Kojuurou, Motochika, Sarutobi and old man Takeda, Ieyasu—yeah, four."

The pair turned the corner, Yukimura looking torn. "But what about Ishida-dono and Mouri-dono? And Uesugi-sensei and Kasuga-dono? And Maeda-dono and Oichi-dono and Azai-dono . . . ah, and Honda-dono, too—"

Masamune scoffed as he pushed open the door to the aforementioned cafe. "Sheesh, you trying to send a card to every single damn person back home? We only got ten of 'em, so you're gonna have to pick." He steered a contemplative Yukimura to an unoccupied table and sat him down. "I'm gonna go order. You can start, if you want."

Masamune stepped into the line while Yukimura pulled a black pen out of his pocket and bit his lip. "I will send one to Sasuke and Oyakata-sensei, then Ieyasu-dono, and since Masamune-dono is sending one each to Katakura-dono and Chousokabe-dono, that leaves six more . . ."

The young cub tapped the pen against his chin thoughtfully. "Ah! Perhaps I could combine Uesugi-sensei and Kasuga-dono's card, as well as the Maedas' card, Azai-dono and Oichi-dono's card, and Ieyasu-dono and Honda-dono's card!" He frowned a bit. "I cannot leave out Ishida-dono or Mouri-dono, either, though I doubt that they even care for such things." He quickly added up the names, satisfied when he got nine. Perfect!

By the time Masamune returned, balancing two donuts and two chocolate milks on a cardboard tray, he found Yukimura hunched over and already scribbling paragraphs on a card, though his formal penmanship was still neat and legible. He tugged on the tiger cub's long ponytail to get his attention, chuckling at the panicked reaction it prompted. Yukimura glared at him in annoyance, but it melted away to pure joy when he saw what lay wrapped in a pale blue napkin.

"These are donuts, _you see?_" Masamune set the tray on the table and plopped down in the chair opposite Yukimura, holding out one of the treats. "I got ya the chocolate ones, since you seem to have taken a liking to chocolate since you got here."

Yukimura cautiously took the sugary brown oval from Masamune's outstretched arm, observing the hole in the middle with curiosity. "Do I just … eat it?"

The one-eyed man snorted. "_Duh!_ What else are you gonna do with it, write Christmas cards? Oh yeah, make sure not to get any crumbs on 'em."

The headband-wearing man raised the donut to his mouth before hesitating and looking at it again, perplexed. "The entire thing?"

Masamune bit back a laugh. "_Goddammit,_ Yukimura! Only you can make eating such a hard thing to do. _Shit,_ just take a bite out of it or break off a piece, you idiot. It's like dango, but bigger, _you see?_"

The cub cocked his head in confusion, and this time, a few laughs spilled through the older man's tightly pressed lips. "_Son of a . . . okay,_ here. I'll give you a hand." He broke a piece off the donut and held it out, near the other's mouth. Again, Yukimura drew a complete blank, which prompted Masamune to bring it even closer. He gently nudged the younger one's lips apart before coaxing the piece inside his mouth. Smirking in satisfaction, he watched as Yukimura flushed, but chewed slowly all the same. "_So?_"

The tiger cub swallowed, his grin littered with sugary crumbs. "It is delicious, Masamune-dono! Its taste resembles that of chocolate cake, but it is still its own."

"_Good._ Thought you'd like it." Masamune's smirk grew wider as he propped himself up on his arm. "Think you can handle eating the rest by yourself now?"

Yukimura reddened. "H-hai, of course! Your demonstration was most helpful, arigatou gozaimasu."

"_Cool._"The one-eyed man chuckled and took a bite out of his own cinnamon donut before retrieving a pen from his bag. "Then let's get to work on finishing these cards, yeah? I'm gonna take my time, though—pouring sentimental bullshit into paragraphs like you do just ain't my style. And I'll probably still end up finishing before you."

The brown orbs opposite him glinted. "Is that a challenge, Masamune-dono?"

"Sure as hell ain't much of one! You've got seven cards full of sentimental bullshit while I've got two with nothing but the basics."

"Despite the odds against me, I cannot back down! I accept your challenge!"

"Hah, _all right._ Suit yourself." Masamune grinned cheekily. "Winner gets a kiss. _Deal?_"

Yukimura didn't miss a beat and grinned right back before opening up another card to begin writing. "_Deal!_"


	3. Prompt 3: Hot Cocoa

**An Azure and Crimson Holiday**

**Prompt 3: ****Sitting/Snuggling In Front of the Fireplace with Hot Cocoa/Tea**

Drinking hot cocoa together was both Masamune and Yukimura's favorite part of the week. It had become a tradition for them on cold Friday evenings in the winter, after the hustle and bustle of school finally came to an end, even if only for a couple of days.

The two usually returned to the Date estate in one another's company, since both the soccer and baseball teams didn't have practice on Fridays. Kojuurou would greet them inside before driving to his office a few blocks away to do some paperwork.

Yukimura, being the responsible student he was, started on his homework right away, nibbling on one of those bland whole-wheat granola bars he always kept in his backpack, while Masamune tried to lure him away from it, though ultimately, he would fail, and after watching the young cub work diligently for a few minutes, the one-eyed boy would reluctantly start doing a bit of his own work.

Eventually, Masamune would grow bored and get up to take a bath; on especially cold days, he would extend the offer to Yukimura, and if he was lucky, the younger boy would shyly agree. The two would sit on opposite ends of the huge tub in a misty cloud of steam, letting the wonderfully warm water soothe their aching muscles, before beginning to discuss their week and future plans.

After resting their fill, Masamune, with his surprising knack for cooking, would throw something simple together for dinner, tweaking his old recipes and somehow making them better every time he did so. Yukimura, meanwhile, would tend to the fireplace, so the grand family room would be nice and toasty by the time Masamune returned with the food. The two took extra care not to spill anything—the last time the one-eyed boy had done that, Kojuurou had made him scrub the stain off himself, and it had been anything but easy.

Yukimura always finished dinner first, so he would go to get the hot cocoa ready. By the time whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles were generously heaped into large mugs (more sprinkles for Masamune, more whipped cream for Yukimura), the dishes would be washed in the sink, and the two would finally sit, side-by-side, on the sofa closest to the fireplace. It was during these times that Masamune's more affectionate side emerged, as he brushed light, sweet kisses against his companion's forehead, cheeks, nose, and mouth. The headband-wearing boy would simply lean against him, reveling in the warm, tender caresses.

Eventually, when the hot cocoa was long gone, strong arms would pull Yukimura closer, and a firmer kiss would press against his lips, whispering a faint "_I love you_" before they withdrew, slowly. Masamune's head would fall on top of the younger one's, his quiet snores ruffling the fluffy brown hairs there, as Yukimura would smile and whisper, "Oyasuminasai" before giving in to the inviting clutches of sleep himself.

When Kojuurou would return around midnight, he would find Masamune and Yukimura fast asleep on the couch in each other's arms, the fire before them merely a flicker. The older man would retrieve a thick blanket and drape it over the two before heading upstairs to turn in for the night, his lips quirking upwards as he did so.

It was a relief to see that, after nearly seventeen years, Bontenmaru had finally found a true reason to smile.


	4. Prompt 4: Gift Shopping

**An Azure and Crimson Holiday**

**Prompt 4: Shopping For and/or Wrapping Gifts**

"Hmm . . . Masamune-dono?" Yukimura held up two pairs of soccer cleats, one with a deep forest green trim and the other with a light tan trim. "Which of these do you think would suit Sasuke better?"

Masamune crossed his arms and leaned against the adjacent shoe rack. "Don't ask me. You know him more than I do."

The younger boy pouted at the lack of response. "Masamune-dono . . ."

Masamune glanced between both pairs of cleats and rolled his eye. Did it really matter? "Uh . . . I dunno. The green one."

His response was punctuated by an indifferent shrug, but Yukimura seemed satisfied with the answer and tucked the green-trim pair into its box. "There, I have taken care of Sasuke's gift!" He cradled it in his arms and started off towards the gym clothing section. "Now I must find something for Oyakata-sensei . . ."

The one-eyed boy shoved his hands into his pockets and groaned quietly as he followed Yukimura. Never again was he going to let the younger boy drag him into this eve. Who did their Christmas shopping the weekend prior to the actual holiday? To make things worse, the sweet young cub had a heart as big as a tiger's, so he felt obliged to buy something for anyone and everyone who he even remotely considered a friend—which was a lot of people, thanks to his friendly, sunny disposition. He even gave small trinkets to the girls who had given him chocolate on Valentines Day that he hadn't known how to reciprocate.

For once, Masamune hadn't procrastinated and gotten his presents early. He wasn't a very sentimental person; he didn't put as much thought into his gifts as Yukimura did, even though he only bought three, maybe five if he was in the holiday spirit. But this year, the most important gift still remained, and he found himself thinking a little too much about what to get a certain fluffy-haired kid for Christmas.

Last year, things had been different; the two had been rivals and friends, nothing more. But now 'partners' had been thrown into the mix, and Masamune was hellbent on getting the perfect thing for his little tiger cub. He had a backup plan in case things didn't work out (buying as much dango as he could afford) but he wanted it to be a bit more meaningful than just food.

The current trouble was _finding_ that perfect thing. Yukimura was not one to express material desires, bless his selfless soul; he much preferred giving to receiving. Masamune didn't want to ask Sasuke or Shingen for help, but at this rate, he was running out of options, and he definitely didn't want to come up empty-handed.

"Is he yours?"

The one-eyed boy blinked as a girl with short dark hair suddenly seemed to appear at his side. "_Sorry?_"

Despite his use of a foreign tongue, the girl seemed to understand. "That young gentleman over there!" She nodded towards Yukimura, whose brow was furrowed as he looked over two sets of gym clothing. "You've been watching him for the past minute, mister. Is he yours?"

It was an odd way to word things, but what Masamune noticed more was the fact that he'd been caught staring. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Uh, yeah, I guess you could say that."

"That's so sweet!" the girl remarked with a wide smile on her face and a knowing twinkle in her eyes—big, brown, innocent eyes that strikingly reminded him of Yukimura. "Hmm. You haven't bought him anything for Christmas yet, have you, mister?"

Masamune was starting to feel a bit unnerved. This girl looked only a couple of years younger than him, at most. "No . . ."

"Then you've come to the right person!" The girl winked. "The Little Crane, at your service! But please, mister, call me Tsuruhime."

"_O . . . kay . . ._"

"Now, to find the perfect present!" Tsuruhime turned to Yukimura, oblivious as ever, and watched him intently for a few moments before snapping her fingers. "Aha! So he seems like the naive type, a child at heart. Very energetic and athletic, always on his feet, but still studious. Helpful, always thinking of others before him. Does that sound about right?"

The girl turned back to Masamune expectantly, whose mouth was slightly agape. "Y-yeah, hit the nail on the head."

"All right!" Tsuruhime beamed; her endless enthusiasm reminded him of Yukimura, as well. "So, for a person like him, I suggest something to help him think more about himself and relax a little. Is there anything in particular that he likes?"

"Besides tigers and soccer, not much."

"Anything soccer-related is going to make him want to get up and play, but we don't want that if we want him to relax! Let's go with tigers then. Hmm tigers, tigers … mister, do you know if he has any comfortable clothing?"

Masamune raised an eyebrow. "How would I know? They're his own clothes, _you see?_"

"What does he usually wear, then?"

"School uniform: blazer, collared shirt that's buttoned up all the way, dress pants. During games, it's the team uniform: T-shirt and shorts. When he goes to bed, he wears a T-shirt with sweats." Forget the questions, the one-eyed boy was starting to feel a bit disturbed that he knew all of this off the top of his head.

"Pajamas!" Tsuruhime exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. "That's it! Buy him comfortable pajamas with tigers on them! Oh, and you can't go wrong with a pair of slippers, either. That's bound to make him feel nice and cozy!"

Masamune mulled over the suggestion; it sounded a bit childish for a high school student, but he had to admit there was some sense to it. Maybe some good sleepwear really could do the trick. "You really think he's gonna like that?"

"Based on his personality, and the fact that he doesn't seem very picky, yes! It should work out nicely." Tsuruhime tapped her chin with her finger before giving a slow nod. "Yes, I think I saw just the pair in the sleepwear section! With matching slippers, if you want to get really into it. You should go run and get them, before he comes back!"

"Uh, yeah, right." Masamune made to leave, but his conscious got the better of him. "Well, thanks, uh, Tsuruhime?" The girl smiled sweetly and nodded. "_Okay._ Thanks, Tsuruhime. I owe ya one. I think."

"You're very welcome, mister!" Tsuruhime waved cheerily after him as he left. "Merry Christmas, and my best wishes to both of you!"

Masamune made sure Yukimura wasn't watching and hurried to the sleepwear section, where, as Tsuruhime had promised, the pajama set lay. It was made of a faded red flannel, with semi-baby tigers decorating it: not too cutesy, but not too macho either. The price was reasonable, and after thinking long and hard about it, he ended up picking up the slippers, as well. And why the hell not? He might as well give it a try. His gut was telling him to go with what the girl had said, and he wasn't one to ignore his instincts. Even so, he felt as though his pride as a man took a blow from carrying the entire thing across the store to the cashier.

The moment Masamune had paid and tucked the set into a shopping bag, Yukimura bounded up to him, with a maroon set of gym clothes, presumably for Shingen, that were folded neatly on top of the shoebox with Sasuke's cleats. His eyes fell on the bag, before raising to meet Masamune's averted one curiously. "Did you find something as well, Masamune-dono? I thought you said that you had finished shopping."

"Yeah, about that . . ." Masamune slowly moved the bag behind him. "I forgot there was something important I still had to get, _you see?_"

Yukimura, thankfully, didn't press on the matter, and he turned away to pay for his own gifts. The one-eyed boy let out a small sigh of relief.

He was still going to buy that dango, though. Just in case.


End file.
